057 Cycle Touring Borneo

(Leana) #1

(^52) Miri
The following morning was spent wandering the streets of Miri, keeping an eye out
for a bicycle computer and a lightweight tripod or gorilla pod. At the end of the day,
I came home with all sorts of things, apart from the necessary items. I was
umming and ahhing about whether to go to Mulu or not. The boat which sailed
upriver was far more costly than a flight.
I bumped into Monica and Silvia (not difficult, as we stood head and shoulders
above the rest). They invited me to supper at one of the seafood restaurants,
where we consumed more beer than food. Again, a great evening was spent in the
company of two wonderfully eccentric ladies.
Miri

My indecision about whether to go to Mulu made staying an additional day.
Eventually, I bought a bicycle computer, had my bag sewn at the market, and
checked the internet to find flights to Mulu. Finally, fate seemingly decided on my
behalf, as the first available flight was in a week, and I wasn't going to hang
around Miri that long.
I set out to find a gorilla pod as I had convinced myself it would be the best. Shops
sold excellent, lightweight tripods, but the biggest concern wasn't the weight, but
whether I would take the trouble to take it out, unfold it, mount the camera and
eventually take the shot. So instead, the evening was spent at one of the
pavement cafes, enjoying a beer and food, peacefully listening to mosques calling
people to prayer. Nearing the end of Ramadan people were feverously shopping.
Once the sun had set, fireworks lit the sky and restaurants filled to the brim.
I, once again, experienced someone enquiring about my trip. After roughly
explaining the where, when, and how, he looked me in the eye and said: "I don't
believe you." Quite frankly, I couldn't care whether he believed me or not. Hahaha.
This wasn't the first time I had such a response– how weird, I clearly, didn’t look
the part.

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